Posted on 09/10/2008 1:14:30 AM PDT by markomalley
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The "Palin factor" may have boosted support for Republican presidential contender John McCain among evangelical Christians but he should not bank on the religious right putting him in the White House as it did George W. Bush in 2004, analysts said Tuesday.
White evangelical Christians were key in getting Bush elected to a second term in 2004, but the US political landscape has changed for this year's contest, analysts from the Pew Research think-tank told reporters at a forum in Washington.
For a start, fewer voters, including evangelicals, align themselves with the Republican party.
"Since about 2005 we have seen a sharp decline in the number of people calling themselves Republicans," Scott Keeter, director of survey research at the Washington-based Pew Research Center, told reporters.
"The Democratic Party has a bigger advantage among the public than they've had any time in our polling since 1992," he added.
The same slump is apparent, although not as dramatic, among white evangelicals, who voted massively for Bush in 2004.
"Evangelical voters have displayed a great deal of dissatisfaction with the current state of things, including the Republican Party," said John Greene, senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
And yet on Tuesday, it was the Democrats who appeared to be on the defensive as polls put McCain ahead of or tied with his Democratic rival for the presidency, Barack Obama.
"All the polls show a significant convention bounce for the Republicans ... and very high approval of Sarah Palin's selection as the vice presidential candidate," said Keeter.
Gallup had McCain at 49 percent and Obama at 44, noting a major shift by white women and independent voters to the Republican ticket thanks largely to the "Palin factor".
(Excerpt) Read more at afp.google.com ...
Pew is eponymous, as always. In recent months self-identification with Republican has actually increased, and the same measure has decreased with Democrats. More push polling. Ignore it.
Ohhhh Moose Hockey
Yeah, I haven’t called myself a republican since 2002 when they let spending get out of control. Come back to actual fiscal discipline and I’ll be glad to come back as well.
WSo who are Evangelicals gonna vote for... Obammie?
*snort*
Don’t hold your breath, Eurotrash!
So who are Evangelicals gonna vote for... Obammie?
*snort*
Don’t hold your breath, Eurotrash!
How about this for a headline:
It’s the chatter of denial from the left. Let it begin.
Palin helps McCain with evangelicals, doesn’t ensure their vote: analysts
If you are an Evangelical, McCain nor Palin really matter. What matters is Obama and you either do not vote or you vote for McCain. Not much more difficult then that.......
“”Evangelical voters have displayed a great deal of dissatisfaction with the current state of things, including the Republican Party,” said John Greene, senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
And yet on Tuesday, it was the Democrats who appeared to be on the defensive as polls put McCain ahead of or tied with his Democratic rival for the presidency, Barack Obama.”
Oh, really Mr. Greene. So the Evangelicals are going to jump on the Obama bandwagon because of his “Christian” values? Delusional at best.
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Who are these analysts?
What did they know and when did they know it?
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